Beautician&#39;s utility tray



Aug. 18, 1953 N. M. STEPHENS BEAUTICIAN'S UTILITY TRAY Filed Aug. 22, 1949 3nventor: fl nvz/M .SrA-P/Ag-A/s,

? (Ittornlgf Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNI TED S TATES PAT-EN T OFFICE BEAUTICIANS UTILITY "TRAY Nettie M. Stephens, Lima, Mont.

Application'Augustfiz, 1949, Serial No. 111,747

2-0laims. '1 This invention, in general, relates 'to utility trays. In particular, the device-of the invention comprises a tray that is adapted for placement in positions such that beauticians are given convenient access to 'theins'truments or toilet prepthat is simple, durable and inexpensive.

Furthermore, the device is adapted to'be positively moved into various positions such as may suit the convenience of the user.

Still other objects will become evident as the following description proceeds.

Ordinarily, in undergoing a beauty operation, the person being worked upon is seated in a chair that allows the operator to conveniently reach the face and scalp of the person, while the operator remains in a suitable standing position.

According to the invention, the utility tray is mounted on a standard or post attached to the back of the chair. The utility tray is designed to accommodate various implements such as curlers, permanent waving rods, and so on, as well as lotion cups, bottles and other items. By means of this utility tray, beauticians are enabled to make worthwhile savings in time and personal fatigue.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a desirable embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the utility tray mounted in the normal position; for example, at the back of a chair of well-known construction;

Fig. 2, an elevation as seen from a point at the rear of the chair, the chair in this figure, being omitted;

Fig. 3, a plan of the utility tray, corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a bottom plan of the tray proper, apart from its mounting, reflected from a mirror plane;

Fig. 5, a vertical cross-section taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2, drawn to an enlarged scale;

2 Fig. 6,.arear elevation of a detailed part alone; and

Fig. '7, a top plan corresponding to Fig. 6. Referring to the drawing: the numeral [0 denotes a .tray having the enlarged end areas H and I2, these enlarged areas being joined together by a relatively constricted neck portion l3, thus leaving a curved frontbay I4 and a curved rear bay [5 along the outside of the constricted neck I3. Advantageously, the tray It! has the upstanding, boundary rim 16 which serves as a guard for preventing objects from sliding on the tray. Along the bottom surface of the tray is an arcuate, slotted guide or track I! constituting a fixed part of the tray l0, this track being 'composed advantageously ofthe two innerly rabbeted portions l8 which define a slot I9. Engaging the rabbeted portions I8 is an arcuate, concentric slide 20 from which latter depends an integral lug "2|, thatextends through the slot [9.

The arcuate slide 20 is suitably supported in a, working position such as it indicated in Fig. 1. In this figure, the numeral 22 denotes a chair of any suitable usual construction, at the back of which is mounted a usual guide sleeve 23 within which a standard or post 24 is slidable up and down. The post 24 may be provided with ratchet teeth 25, Figs. 2 and 5, as commonly used in ordinary barbers chairs. The ratchet teeth 25 may be engaged by a usual pivoted pawl 26 forming part of the sleeve 23.

The top of the post 24 is provided with two eyeleted prongs 21 forming a fork that is adapted to pivotally receive the lug 2| of the slide 20, the lug being clamped in the fork by suitable means such as a thumb screw 28. The prongs 21 are sufficiently flexible so that the lug 2| may be firmly clamped between them.

In using the device, the tray [0 may be clamped in a normal position as shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In this normal position, the head 29 of a person occupying the chair 22 is accommodated in the bay I 4, Fig. 3, while the operator occupies a position such as indicated at 30. Thus, the head 29 is conveniently accessible to the operator 30 for performing the usual beauty manipulations.

By means of the thumb screw 28, the operator may conveniently tilt the tray backwardly or forwardly into certain desired positions such as the respective ones indicated by the dotted lines 10a and lb in Fig. 1. Furthermore, the arcuate slide 20 allows the tray to be moved as desired to an extreme left position I00 or an extreme right position I [id as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As shown, it is frequently advantageous to make the arcuate track and the boundary of the front bay l4 concentric with each other.

The ease with which the tray I is moved sidewise, or tilted into various convenient operating positions is self-evident. It is obvious also, that in practically all operative positions of the device, the rim flange I6 keeps articles from sliding off the tray proper.

While this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to a presently preferred specific embodiment thereof, it should be understood that various changes may be made therein and various other forms may be constructed on the basis of the teachings hereof, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the protective scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A utility tray comprising a tray proper having two relatively extensive article-supporting areas; a constricted neck portion joining said article-supporting areas to each other, said neck portion having oppositely configurated, spaced, front and rear arcuate boundaries, thereby defining respective front and rear exterior bays symmetrically disposed on both sides of the longitudinal center line of said tray, said front and rear bays, further, extending from one of said areas to the other, along said constricted neck portion; an arcuate guide following the configuration of said front arcuate boundary intermediate said front and rear bays, the center of the arc of said arcuate guide lying in a radial line joining the centers of the said front and rear arcuate boundaries to each other; a fixed arcuate slide engaged by said arcuate guide; and means secured to said slide adapted to secure the tray to the back of a chair, said arcuate guide being fixed on the bottom of said tray proper and being instrumental in centering a persons head in said I fixed arcuate slide, concentric, and in operative engagement, with, said arcuate track; the said stationary support being provided with means secured to said slide and adapted to secure the tray to the back of a chair, and, furthermore, the said front concave boundary being operative to center a persons head in the front bay, while at the same time the rear concave boundary is operative to center an operators person in the rear bay, both oenterings being substantially along a radial line concentric with said arcuate track. NETTIE M. STEPHENS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 929,302 Hanlon July 27, 1909 1,232,757 Berkey July 10, 1917 1,383,020 Platts June 28, 1921 1,492,369 Gibson Apr. 29, 1924 2,112,669 Halas Mar. 29, 1938 2,183,536 Borges Dec. 19, 1939 2,263,863 Wolfe Nov. 25, 1941 2,267,861 Haley Dec. 30, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 477,636 Germany June 11, 1929 

